Printing press



July 24, 1928.

R. c. SEYMOUR PRINTING PRESS 2 SheetsSheet l Original Filed Aug. so, 1923 NVENTOR R w T A July 24, 1923.

R. C. SEYMOUR PRINTING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 30, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v V a IN'VENTOR Patented July 24, 1928.

RALPH C. SEYMOUR, F SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY.

PRINTING PRESS.

Application filed August 30, 1923, Serial No.'660,141. Renewed,J'anuary 24,1928.

The invention relates to printing presses and more especially to novel features applied to the inking mechanism of rotary presses. v

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth part hereinafter and in part will be obviousherefrom, or may be learned by praeticejwith the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instruinentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a printing press embodying the invention and showing the inking mechanism away from the form cylinder.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the inking mechanism in operative position with respect to the form cylinder;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged section through one of the locking devices;

Fig. 4: is a vertical section on line 4-4: of Fig. 3,1ookix'1g in the direction of the arrows.

The invention is shown applied to a rotary printing press having a slidable inking mechanism carriage, the general features of which are an old'and well-known form, the present invention being especially directed to providing a novel, but simple and highly ethcient, locking means for firmly and accurately locking the inking mechanism in operative relation with respect to ,its form cylinder. Among the advantages of my improved locking mechanism are that it looks equally on both sides, but is operable from one side of the press so as to simultaneously lock both sides, and likewise to unlock both sides, in a very easy, rapid and eilicient manner. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be first mentioned in connection with the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment.

The general frame 1 of a printing press is shown fragmentarily in the drawings, and a form or plate cylinder 2 is journaled therein. The form cylinder is suitably mounted the press frame and this mounting i shown more or less diagrammatically and I for the end of the cylinder shaft 4 is mounted in the machine -frame, and an eccentric throw-off bearin 5 is also shown, and as stated these may Tie of any convenient or desired form, so far as concerns the present invention.

The inking mechanism ,is of the sliding carriage type, and in its entirety is movable to and from the formcylinder to give access to the cylinder for changing plates,

mounted on the base 11 of the printing.

press frame, movable on roller bearings arranged between and 11,-on either side of bar 12.

The inking mechanism carriage is moved to and from operative relation with the form cylinder by any suitable means, such as a rack and pinion mechanism of any suitable or convenient form, the hand Wheel 13 of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The inking mechanism may likewise be of any suitable or convenient form, and as shown, an ink fountain 14 is mounted upon the carriage. Form inking rollers 15 are shown at the opposite side of the carriage, and 1n Fig. 2 these are shown in operative relation with the plates upon the form cyl- The other various intervening parts inders. of the inking mechanism are not shown in detail. 4

Referring now more particularly to the mechanism embodying the present invention, a hollow cylindrical member extends across between the upright frame members 21 and 22 of the inking mechanism carriage. This cylindrical cross-member is shouldered at 23 and 24 to abut on finished faces on the inside of the frame members 21 and 22, and the reduced cylindrical ends fit in similarly shaped apertures through the frame members and project outwardly therefrom at either side. These projecting ends of the member 20 are externally screw-threaded, and securing nuts 25 and 26 are screwthreaded thereon to bear against the exterior finished faces of the frame members to hold the member 20 in position.

Within the member 20 at either end thereof, respectively, are sleeves 27 and 28, within which is journaled a longitudinally movable rod, 29, the central part 30 of this rod i being preferably of reduced diameter. The

rod 29 extends outwardly at either end beyond the cylindrical supporting cross member 20, and these ends of the rod are provided with looking devices which cooperate Withpther devices upon the press frame.

As embodied, one end (the left hand end 7 in Fig. 3) of rod 29is provided with a locking member 32, having at its inner end a conoidal locking or clamplng part 33. The rod 29 at its opposite end .(the right-hand end in Fig. 3) is of reduced diameter and is provided with a screw-thread 35. A head 36 is internally centrally screw-threaded and is screwed on to the screw-thread 35. The

, inner end of this head 36 is provided with a conoidal lockin or clamping surface 37 cessed bosses 43, which are internally apertured as at 44 and are laterally slotted as; at 45, to receive. those parts of rod 29 wh ch projectfrom the ends of their supporting member 20. On their external faces the bosses 43 are conoidally beveled outwardly" from the apertures 44 to fit or look friction tight with the conoidal surface 33, which is fixed on one, end of rod 29, and with the conoidal surface-37, which is formed on the inner end of the head 36. There are usually a plurality of sets of this mechanism, one preferably located near the bottom of the inking carriage, and the other located preferabl at the level of the form cylinders.

I a so preferably make my lock fool proof.

' Any suitable form of mechanism for accomplishing this may be used. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, but to which my invention is not to be limited, I

- slotthe hollow cylindrical member 20, providing it with the slots 50, 50, Fig. 3.

The longitudinally movable shaft 29 is also provided with a slot 51. The sliding key 52 is mounted-in these slots and 51. A loose collar 53 is mounted to slide on the exterior of the hollow-cylindrical member 20. The

sliding key 52 is preferably provided with fingers 54, 54 to rest upon the exterior surface of the loose collar 53. Between the loose collar 53 and the stationary collar 55, held to the member20 by the set screw 56, is a coiled spring 57. This spring normally presses the loosecollar 53, and the sliding key 52, to the left in Fig. 3. I may also provide another fixed collar 58 held to the member 20 by the set screw 59.

This fool proof. locking mechanism insures that the longitudinally movable shaft 29 will be moved to the left of Fig. 3 by the action tated by the hand-turning bar 40.

The manner of operation of the hereinbe fore-described mechanism is substantially as follows:

The inking carriage mechanism may be considered as in the position of ig. 2-with the holding devices in locking position, which position is also shown in Fig. 3. When it is desired to move theinking mechanism carriage away, the head 36 is rotated correspondingly and will travel backwardly away from the cooperating boss 43' after the conoidal locking or clamping part 33 has been disengaged from the arm, bracket or boss 42, in the manner previously described. The inking mechanism carriage is. then retracted by operating the hand wheel 13, the rod 29 during this movement of the carriage passing out laterally through the recesses 45. \Vhen the inking carriage is moved backwardly again from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, the rod 29 will pass in through the lateral openings 45 and come in alinement with the openings 44.

Rod 29 is pulled to the right in Fig. 3, when head 36 is screwed up, and the conoidal surfaces 33 and 37 are pressed into locking or clamping relation with the corresponding surfaces on the respective bosses 44, the

spring 57 being then put under tension- The conoidal clamping action on these vari ous members insures absolutely centering and truing of the inking mechanism carriage with respect to the form cylinder, and insures its being held firmly and permanently in this position. This action is also exactly uniform on either side of the press, and at the same time both the locking and the unlocking are effected from one side of the press by a single operation by the attendant.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanism shown and described and departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

- \Vhat I claim is :e y

1. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and'out of operative relation with the form cylinder and means exerting a force parallel to the axis of the form cylinder for holding the inking mechanism mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder,means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press and extending across and .movable across the press, and means for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press.

3. A printing press including in combi-- nation a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and'out of operative relation with the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position ineluding a plurality of clamping devices at either side of the press and extending across and movable across the press, and means for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press.

4. A printin press including in combination a form cy inder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism inoperative position includingclamping devices. at either side of the press and including a rod extending across and movable across the press, and means for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press.

5. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of. operative rcla-' tion with the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including a plurality of clamping devices at either side of the press and including a rod extending across and movable across the press, and means for operating said clamping ,devices from one side of the press.

6. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder, ineansfor holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press, and means including a screw-threaded device for operating said clamping devices fromone side of the press.

7. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation With the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press and extending across the press, and means including a screw-threaded device for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press. a

8. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation Withthe form cylinder, means for holdingthe inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press and extending across and movable across the press, and means including a screw-threaded device for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press.

9. A printin press including in combination a'form cy inder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for Il'lOV1I1g:tl18 inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press and. including a rod extending across and movable across the press, and

means including a screw-threaded device for operating said clamping devices from'one side of the press.

' 10. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation With the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press and including a rod extend ing across the press, and means including a screw-threaded device for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press.

11. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder and means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press and means for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press,

and means to render said operating means fool proof.

12A printing press including in combinationa form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, meansfor moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press, means for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press,

and means to insure that the clamping de-' vices on one side of the press will be released momentarily before those on the other side.

13. A printing press including incomon the other side.

14. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking.mechanism therefor, means for moving the ink ing mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press, means for operating said clamping devices-from one side of the press and means to insure that the clamping devices on the side opposite from the attendant will be released momentarily before those on the other side.

15. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the. form'cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either "side of the press, means for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press, and automatic means to insure that the clamping devices on the side opposite from the attendant will be released momentarily before those on the other side.

16. A printing press including in combination a. form cylinder, an inking'mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder, means for holding the inking mechanism in operative position including clamping devices at either side of the press, means for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press, and spring means to insure that the clamping devices on one side of the press will bemomentarily released before those on the other side.

17. A printing press including in combination a form cylinder, an inking mechanism therefor, means for moving the inking mechanism into and out of operative relation with the form cylinder, means for a screw-t ireaded device for operating said clamping devices from one side of the press, and a sliding key mounted in the rod and means to yieldingly press it and the rod in one direction to release one of the clamping devices.

18. A printing press including in combination a press frame, a form cylinder journaled therein, an inking mechanism movable on the frame to and from the form cylinder, a plurality of cooperating center- 7 ing and locking devices located on the frame and inking mechanism, one set of the locking devices being substantially at the level of the form cylinder, and another at one side thereof, said cooperating locking devices on the frame and inking mechanism being brought into engagement by said movement of the inking mechanism and cooperating together to center and lock the inking mechanism relatively to the form cylinder.

19. A printing press including a press frame, a form cylinder therein, an inking mechanism therefor, movable toward and away therefrom, and cooperating centering and locking devices located on the frame and inking mechanism andincluding a longitudinally movable rod extending across said inking mechanism, a locking device on each end of said rod, cooperating locking devices on said press frame, resilient means formoving said rod in one directionyand threaded means for moving said rod in the opposite direction.

20. A printing press includi frame, a form cylinder therein, an inking mechanism therefor movable toward and away therefrom, and cooperating centering g a press,

and locking devices located on the frame and inking mechanism and including a f longitudinally movable rod extending across device fixed on one end of said rod, a rotatable, rod shifting and frame locking conoidal member on the other end of said 105 rod, and radially slotted, internally apering means on said press fram In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RALPH o. SEYMOUR.

tured, conoidallv recessed cooperating lock-Q said inking mechansm, a conoidal locking 

